Paste feed mechanism for can labeling and like machines



June 6, 1950 D w BINGHAM 2,510,492

PASTE FEED MECHANISM FOR CAN LABELING AND LIKE MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 4, 1946 E116. z 'frc/e/afiz/ a cd )412? ar a/24am June 6, 1950 D. w. BIN GHAM 2,510,492

PASTE FEED MECHANISM FOR CAN LABELING AND LIKE MACHINES Filed Sept. 4, 1946 3 SheetsSheet 2 Ewe/1%)" 7 4 flwd/ i g Filed Sept. 4, 1946 June 6, 1950 D. w. BINGHAM 2,510,492

PASTE FEED MECHANISM FOR CAN LABELING AND LIKE MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Ewe/afar JwM/IZBzIJ d/Pa/I Patented June 6, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PASTE FEED MECHANISM FOR oAN LABELING AND LIKE MACHINES David William BirAgham, Brighton, Victoria,

trail Application September 4, 1946, Serial No. 694,802 In Australia November 21, 1945 4 Claims. (Cl. 216-46) This invention relates to can labelling machines and particularly to that type of machine which includes a track orguideway for rolling the un-labelled cans over a stack of labels which are intermittently. raised a distance corresponding to the thickness of a label so that each can may pick up the topmost label on thestack as it passes thereover. The labels are picked up and automatically applying paste to the portions of the labels.

secured by leading and trailing edge 2 along which the cans The can guideway is usually laterally adjustable so that the machine may be adapted to handle 1 cans of various sizes.

It is customary to employ a pump for feeding I the paste to the paste applying mechanism and hitherto such a feed pump has usually been adapted for direct operation bythe cans as they roll along the track way. Such types of apparatus have not proved to be entirely satisfactory due to the difficulty experienced in reducing the tions of the labels.

The labels are secured to the cans by applying paste to the leading and trailing edge por- Means may be provided for applying spots of paste to each can as it nears friction in the pump and its actuating mechanism sufliciently to enable it to be effectively operated by the passing cans without impeding their progress.

The primary object of the present invention is I to provide improvements in can labelling machines of the kindindicated whereby the cans passing through the machine are adapted to control the operation of a power actuated paste feed pump or the like instead of directly actuating such a pump as hitherto.

Another object of the invention is to provide in can labelling machines of the kind indicated 1 simple and efiicient means for regulating the predetermined amounts of paste fed to the paste applying mechanism in accordance with the size of the cans being handled.

Referring to the drawings which form part of this specification- Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional elevation of apparatus in accordance with one embodiment l of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view f the paste pump unit seen in Fig. 1. r

Fig. 3 is a side view of the parts seen in Fig. 1.

Fig 4 is a sectional plan taken on the line IV-IV of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation on an enlarged scale showing the improved paste pump control mechclutch control mechanism anism.

Fig. 5a is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line 5A .-5A .of Fig. 5.

Figs. 6, 7 and8fare operative details of the for the pump driving off the stack as aforesaid, it is pulled out from under the paste bar and the pasted trailing edge portion pressed into engagement with the underlying leading edge portion of the label.

The paste bar 4 is supplied with paste from a hopper or reservoir 6 by a pump 1 connected by piping 8 with the paste bar. A rotary gear pump is particularly suitable for this purpose.

' In accordance with the present invention, means are provided for intermittently operating the pump 1 so as to ensure that the paste is applied once only to the trailing edge portion of each label. For this purpose the pump operating means may include pawl and ratchet drive mechanism having control means associated therewith which is adapted to be actuated by each can as it rolls along the track way.

The pawl and ratchet mechanism may be mounted on a fixed support such as a bracket ence of its spring for delivering the desired predetermined amount of paste to the topmost label. The operative positions of the pawl 13 and its associated latch plate 2! and striker 26 are seen more clearly in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 of the drawings.

In Fig. 6 the pawl is shown at the commencement example, in the form of a pivoted latch plate '21 pivotally mounted as at 20 upon the brackets H) and which may be adapted normally to swing across the path of the pawl l3 so as to maintain the pawl out of engagement with the ratchet wheel. For this purpose the pawl maybe pro.- vided with an extension or tail piece 22 adapted to be engaged by the latch plate.

As the trackway 2 is preferably adjustable so that the machine may handle different sized cans, the machine also includes, feed control means for the pump 1 so that a predetermined amount of paste may be applied to the trailing edge portion of each label. Said feed control means, may include an adjustable striker member 25 adapted to disengage the pawl [3 from the ratchet. wheel, if necessary, before completion of the forward throw oft-he pawl supporting plate when the desired predetermined amount of peateha been applied to e ab Any suitable means is provided for adjusting the operable position of the striker 2iso as to vary the distance traversed by the pawl 3 prior to be n di e aged r m e r t h Wheel r u a in t e pump de ve in accordance with equ rements. hi ad ustm n of the t ke ma b efiie ed by re me n uc as a threaded post 27. mounted on a stationary suppor 28am. pr vide a one en w an. nl e head Q the like 29 for turning and connected 'a its opposite end at 3 t th striker for swin n he att r s re u red bou a pivotal mounting .32.

The aroresaidlate plate .2 ma be prq d de one side with asap. or rece s 3 so tha he'let p ate. may swing into and o t. at ngagem n w the pawl irrespective. of the operative position of the s riker arm- The latch plate may als be hw dea Wi h a fihse e h l ke. 34 v r a ing h can. wh l its piv tal mou t ng may be located off ,centreso that the lower portion of theplate m y norma l tend o sw n a r s. an

.engagethe pawl under the influence of gravity.

In combinationwith the foregojngare means 1 for swin ing the latch plate -2 out or engagemen .with t e pawl. I as. ea h can asse along t e track way. ue ch. ontro eans ay com e r n infl nced. r g e late 36 mounted within the track way Zso as to be engaged by each can as itpasses. lQ'he. trigger plate is connected, for example by means of a. push ed. 3 wi he fin er. 3,4, 0 e. tch plate whereby depression of the trigger plate by a can automatically swin s the latch plate clearof the pawl and permitsv the latter to engagethe ratchet wheel and partially rotate the pump shaft for supplying a predetermined quantity of paste to the topmost label on thestack.

In use, the. power driven pawl supporting plate It. is continuously oscillating While the labelling machine is in use but the pump 1 remains inoperative until the latch plate 2i is trippedby an onrolling can. hu p rmittin he pawl I3. to engage its ratchet wheel I I under the influ- -of.its for-ward throw llv ll lthe tail piece 22 about to engage the latch plate. Fig. 7 shows the pawl at the completion of an inoperative forward throw showing the tail piece still in engagement with the latch plate. The pump 1 has, of course, liemaihcl noperative during such movement of the. pawl. Fig. 8 shows the pawl in its operative position at the completion of a forward stroke for actuating the pump. The latch plate is clear of the tail iec and thus p r he pawl o remain in engagement with the ratchet wheel throughout the forward throw of the pawl supporting plate i4 unless the striker has been adjusted to engage the tail piece 22 of the pawl and 'thus disengage it fromthe ratch-et wheel before completion of said-forward throw.

lit-will be readily appreciated that when smaller cane are being handled, the predetermined quantity of paste supplied to each label may be suitablyreduced simply by manually turning the screwed post 21 for adjusting the striker arm 26 to release the pawl-before completion of its full forward throw.

It is to be understood that various alterations, modifications and/or additions may be incorporatedin the foregoing construction and arrangement of parts without departing from theambit of the invention as defined'by the appended claims.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patentis-z 1. In labelling machines including a rotary feed pump for supplying paste to paste-applyint: means, pump-driving mechanism comprising a ratchet wheelon'the pump shaft, a, power operable plate mounted upon the pump shaft to oscillate thereon, a spring-influenced pawl mounted on said plate and'biased into engagement with said ratchet" wheel, a latch member pivotal into the path -of-said giawl for disengaging thepaw1 from-theratchet wheel, and latch I control means operable by-articles' as they pass 5.. 5 otaily mounted upon the pump shaft so. as to through the labelling machine and operative to swing said latch member from the-path of said pawl to permit the latter to engage said ratchet wheel.

2. Apparatus according to claim lwherein said poweroperable pawl supporting plate is pivoscillate thereon and said-pivoted latch plate is mounted upon afixed-support-and pivoted off centre so that it tends to normally swing into-engagement with a tail piece on said pawl for disengaging the pawlfrom itsratchetwheel during the forward throw of-said'pawl supporting plate.

3 In operable labelling machines, a rotary feed" pump for intermittently supplying paste to paste applying means, pawl and ratchet driving means for the pump, and comprisinga ratchet wheel on the pump, shaft, a spring. influenced pawl pivotally mounted upon a pawl-supporting plate which is also carried by said pump shaft, power driven mechanism for oscillating saidpawlsupporting plate, a pivoted latch plate moun iup na .fix disupp r o sw ne n jinto and out of engagement with said pawl, a striker member for engaging said pawl to disconnect it from the ratchet wheel, a manually operable threaded post carried by a fixed support and connected to said striker member for adjusting the operative position thereof, and latch control means mounted on the machine frame so as to extend between a trackway and said latch member whereby each article passing along said trackway swings the latch member clear of said pawl and permits the latter to engage the ratchet wheel.

4. In labelling machines including a rotary pump for feeding and a power-actuated mechanism for intermittently operating the means for regulating the amount of paste delivered by said pump which comprises a ratchet wheel on the pump shaft, a pivoted pawl having a tail piece and cooperating with said ratchet wheel for operating said pump. an intermediately pivoted striker member having one end operatively positioned in the path of said pawl tail said pump, feed control paste to paste-applying means REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,267,946 wild May 10. 1927 1,810,751 Broadmeyer June 16, 1931 1,835,145 Cooke Dec. 8, 1931 2,084,962 Slade June 22. 1937 

